THE MISSION AIM God created people to live in relationship with Him. KEY VERSE Genesis 1:27 (NIV): So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Pre-Mission Activity OPTION # 1 Recruits to bring in their recycled treasure items that they created at home. Be sure to have your own recycled treasure to share with the recruits. OPTION # 2 - Creation booklets from Lesson 2. OPTION # 3 - (for the squads that did not work on the recycled treasures or bring their creation books back): Collection of God-created items for the recruits to look at. You could use pictures, stuffed animals or the actual items if available, i.e. water, plant, soil, bird, cow, dog, sun, etc. Directions OPTION # 1 DO: Allow the recruits to share with the group their recycled treasure items and encourage them to share how this item is a useful item. OPTION # 2 DO: Review the creation booklets that the students began to make during the last lesson. Allow the recruits to show some of the pictures that they made. OPTION # 3 SAY: I have a lot of different items here for us to look at. All of these are things God created. Let s look at these items and discuss how we are like some of these. DO: Show each item being sure that each recruit has a chance to see them. Allow the recruits to discuss how they are like the items. For example: I am like a plant because I need food and water to grow and to live. I am like a dog because I like to cuddle up and sleep on the couch. Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 1
SAY: Now that we know how we are like some of these items, let s discuss the ways that we are different from these items. DO: Allow the recruits to discuss how they are different from these items. For example, I am different from the cow because I sleep in the house and not in the barn. I am different from the water because I can sing praises to God. Mission Uplink 1 Cue DVD to the episode: God Makes Man. A looping video of the Ready to Serve Shield will come on screen as you prepare the recruits. When ready to begin the episode, press enter/play or click on the green arrow. The episode will begin with the Ready to Serve theme song, followed automatically by the MISSION # 1 VIDEO. MISSION # 1 CARD will appear and remain on screen as you and your recruits complete Mission # 1. Mission #1 Sealed container with sand or dirt in it (be sure that the recruits will not be able to see what is in the container) A mirror Mission Assignment SAY: (reading from mission assignment card from the satellite uplink.) Recruits, we need you to find out how God created humans. Do you choose to accept this assignment? Recruits, your mission is to find out how God created humans. We know that He created men and women but how exactly did this happen? Recruits, are you ready to serve? We already heard from Christie that God created humans in His image. Let s look specifically and how He did this. Ready? Let s go. DO: Show the recruits your container and allow them to make guesses of what they think might be inside. Pass it around and allow them to shake the container. Give opportunity for the recruits to guess what is in the container but do not tell them if they are correct or not. Once all of the recruits have had a turn at guessing have them turn to the first book of the Bible, Genesis. SAY: We have been looking closely at the Creation story. We know that God created this earth and everything in it. Last week we were able to make our very own creation of an animal out of clay. God did not stop at the animals. He made man and woman and He made us in His Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 2
image. Jasmine s Squad leader is correct. Let s turn to Genesis 1:27 and read that verse together. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them. SAY: How do you think God created man? (Allow for answers.) SAY: God made man out of the dust of the earth. That s what I have in my container here, dust or sand from the earth. DO: Open the container and show the sand or dirt to the recruits. Pass the container around and allow the recruits to put their fingers in the sand and feel it. SAY: It seems strange that God made man out of the dust but He did. The Bible tells us that he breathed breath into his nostrils. And then God made woman. To do this God took a rib from the man and formed woman. DO: Have the recruits sit up tall and feel their ribs. SAY: God removed a rib from man and made woman. In His image He created both man and woman. Let s turn over to Genesis 2 and read these verses together so that we can hear exactly how the Bible tells us that God made man and woman in His image. DO: Together read Genesis 2:7 and verses 18 23. SAY: Well, now we know that God made man and woman but we need to look at that first verse again. Genesis 1:27. Jasmine has a really good point. If God created man in His image, then why do we all look different? I want each of you to take a moment and look in the mirror. Do: Pass the mirror around to each recruit or have them come and look in the mirror. ASK: What did you see? (The recruits will answer that they saw themselves.) SAY: You are right you saw yourself. What if I invited you to go out for ice cream with me, if I took this mirror with me would I be taking you with me? (No.) So when you looked in the mirror, there was an image of you, a reflection but it really wasn t you was it? That is like God. He has created us in His image, to be a reflection of Him, not to look like Him physically, but to be like Him, to behave like Him, to live like Him and to treat others like He does. DO: Play a game with the recruits. Have them think of words that would describe God. These words could be words they would use to describe others that are reflecting God s image. When they have a word in mind, have them jump up and yell it out. Examples could include: kind, helpful, loving, gentle, peaceful, patient, good, etc. Allow the recruits a few minutes to come up with as many words as possible. SAY: Good job recruits. I wonder how the Recon Team is doing. Kate really was working on making herself taller. I wonder if she is focusing in the correct direction. Let s check in with them. Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 3
Mission Uplink 2 Press play/green arrow in the bottom corner to play MISSION #2 VIDEO. MISSION #2 CARD will appear and remain on screen as you and your recruits complete Mission #2. Mission #2 Bibles Sheets of paper with the news headline and Bible verse written on them Pens or pencils Props (optional): Reporters Hat, microphone Mission Assignment SAY: I think Michael and Christie have done a great job of teaching us how interested God is in us. He imagined us even before we were born. Now that is cool. However Recruits it does appear that the Recon team need us to do some more research. They have another mission for us. Let s read that mission now. (Reading mission assignment card from the satellite uplink.) Recruits, the relationship between God and mankind is important. Your mission is to discover how important this relationship is. Well, I believe the answer for this one can only be found in God s Word. Let s look into this. SAY: The relationship we have with God is a special one. Christie wants us to look closely at this relationship. We know that God didn t just create us and leave us on our own. He had a plan for each of us. Today, let s act as news reporters and research and report on how important our relationship is with God. When we give our reports, the Recon Team will see exactly how special this relationship is. SAY: I will give you a verse to look up and the beginning of your report, the headline. You will need to read the verse and report today s findings or news to the recruits. DO: Assign verses to each recruit or to pairs of recruits. Encourage the recruits to act as news reporters standing up and looking in the camera. Use the props you have available to encourage this. VERSES: (the verse and the beginning of each report are given below. A possible ending to the report is included in parenthesis) Psalm 139:13-16 News Alert! New information in! Our station has just learned that, (God created each of us and loves us.) Deuteronomy 6:5 In tonight s news we will learn that, (we are to love God with all of our heart and with of our soul and with all of our strength.) You may want to read the verses to the recruits if they are still learning to read. Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 4
Psalm 95:6 Our top story tonight, (God s Word tells us that we are to worship God.) Psalm 100:3 News at 11: God made us and (and we are to know Him.) 1 Thessalonians 5:17 This just in, (God s people are to talk to God in prayer.) 1 Samuel 12:24 Extra! Extra! Read all about it! (God s people are to fear God and to serve Him.) DO: When the recruits have completed their research assignments gather them back together and allow them to report their discoveries or headlines to the group. SAY: God created man and woman to live in relationship with Him. From the very beginning we had a relationship with God. We have found today that this relationship is very important. God loves us and cares for us. He talks to us and listens to us. We also have a part in this relationship. We are to love God, to worship Him and to know Him. As well, we are to pray to Him and serve Him. I hope that Kate soon realizes that she too is important to God. God doesn t care how tall or how short she is. He truly cares for her. God wants to be in a relationship with each of us. I hope that Jasmine understands this now and sees how God has made us in His image to be in relationship with Him. Let s send in our report and tune back in to the Recon Team. Mission Uplink 3 Press play/green arrow in the bottom corner to play MISSION #3 VIDEO. PRAYER HUDDLE CARD will appear and remain on the screen as you and the recruits complete the prayer huddle. Prayer Huddle Photocopies of silhouette of a person for each recruit (page 7) Directions DO: Give each recruit a copy of the silhouette and have them write or draw on the body ways that we can love, worship, communicate and serve God on it. SAY: I d like each of you to look at the person on your piece of paper. We re going to take a few moments and write down or draw on the body different ways that we can love, worship, communicate and serve God. For example on the hands you might write I can serve God by helping others or near the mouth you might want to write I can sing songs of praise to worship God. DO: Allow the recruits a few minutes to complete this task. Then have the recruits silently read what they have written to God asking him to help them follow through on their ideas. Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 5
Field Mission Project OPTION #1: Paper, markers, crayons OPTION #2: Baking supplies OPTION #3: paper and pencils, crayons or pencil crayons Mission Project SAY: Recruits we were able to complete two missions today. The first was looking in the book of Genesis to see how exactly God made us in His image. To complete our second mission we looked carefully into God s Word and learned how very important the relationship is between God and us. We did this to help our friend Jasmine to better understand what it means to be made in God s image and to help us understand this to. Let s see what our final mission for today is. (Reading mission assignment card from the satellite uplink.) Recruits, what are some ways that we can express the love of God in us to God and to others? Recruits, God loves us so much. He wants us to tell others about Him and to show His love to others. There are different ways that we can do this. Let s take a look at what we can do to express and show God s love to others. DO: Choose one of the following options with your recruits or ahead of class time and follow through with the action needed to help them know how to show the love they have for God to Him and others. Be sure to bring in the supplies you will need for the option that you choose. OPTION #1: Show others your love for them and for God by holding a clothing drive or a food drive. Make posters and flyers to distribute in your church. Set a time and a place for clothing and or food to be dropped off. Be specific. (i.e., We are collecting winter clothing for those in need or We are collecting cans of tuna, salmon and fish for the food bank ) It may be a good idea to contact your local Family Services, Food Bank or Clothing Closet to see what are their present needs. Plan a time that you and the recruits can deliver these items to the organization chosen. OPTION #2: Many community schools provide breakfast programs for children within their school. Contact your local school board to see if you could provide breakfast for a school close to you. Have the recruits bake muffins, loaves, etc., to deliver to the school chosen. OPTION #3: Discuss ways that you can show God s love to others. How can you express your love to God? Examples may include writing a poem, a prayer, or a song of worship to God, or drawing a picture to display how much you love God. Allow the recruits to choose one of these options and to write a poem, a prayer or a song of worship to God or to draw of their love. If they are unable to complete this during their RTS time, suggest they finish it at home. NOTES Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 6
Ready to Serve, The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. page 7 Permission to photocopy this handout granted for local use only.